January 12, 2007

Dear Sir,

When I initially arrived in Bermuda, I erroneously assumed that the place would be idyllic (as most foreigners do) and that the stresses of big city life would be memories of the past. How wrong could I have been!! Work circumstances extended my stay to four years, and after my departure in October I still have the bitterest aftertaste experienced in years of living abroad.

During my stay on the island, I rented accommodation which was far from first-class, but it was what Bermuda had to offer. The rental was handled by a local estate agent, who only drew the contract and collected the deposit. On departure, and having given the statutory notice, I requested reimbursement of my deposit. The landlord initially refused on the grounds that the property had to be painted. When confronted again, he mentioned that the estate agent would need to inspect the property (time-delaying tactics). At this stage I must point out that there was no initial check-in inspection/inventory and therefore there was no reference point.

Perhaps the property did need a lick of paint, but any property after four years needs paint, moreso when the quality of the decor is so third rate. The term 'wear and tear' (responsibility of the landlord) apparently is not considered in the Bermudan letting world. Furthermore, it does not cost a whole deposit to paint what can only be described as a studio apartment, not even at Bermudan prices!

To-date and after numerous emails and correspondence with the estate agent, the only answer I get is silence; and in conversation with other former expat residents in Bermuda, I understand that this is turning to be common practice amongst landlords, ie the deposit is an extra month's rent, which is never returned to the tenant. However, my dictionary (Oxford Dictionary) defines a deposit as 'pay as pledge for fulfilment of contract of further payment'.

I never believed that leaving such a small island would be such a struggle. There is no protection for the rights of individuals such as myself, who have worked hard, provided job opportunities for local Bermudians and who are now struggling for reimbursement from a crook for the rental deposit. Aggravated furthermore with utility companies (electricity and telephone) who ignore requests to return deposits/amounts in credits.

If anyone were to ask me about life in Bermuda, I would advise them to seriously consider the move, its implications and the attitude towards foreigners. It is definitely not the paradisical life advertised abroad.

January 10, 2007

Dear Sir,

A short while ago many of us here in Bermuda were worried if the north western part of our island home was going to be washed away by a great tidal wave, thank God that was a false alarm but there is nothing false about the tidal wave of greed that has engulfed many of "Bermuda's Real Estate agencies who I feel are totally responsible for these outrageous high rents that the hard working Bermudian cannot afford to pay. It's high time for Government to form a commission to look into the operations of the Real Estate businesses to find out why in the past few years rents and the price of real estate in general has escalated to where it is today. Some, no doubt will say it's because of supply and demand or the free enterprise system, I say it's more like out and out unadulterated greed within the real estate business which if not checked will culminate into something that Bermuda can ill afford and that is "Social Unrest." Mark my words.

P.s. Today's RG headlines January 10, 2007. The Average Cost of Houses hit $1.6 M. Now someone please tell me the percentage of Bermudians who are able to afford these outrageous prices when there are so few of us Bermudians in the one hundred thousand dollar yearly earning bracket which you will surely need to keep up with your mortgage payments and other household expenses no matter if it's a twenty or thirty year mortgage, that is if you live long enough and not work yourself to an early grave trying to pay off these real estate vultures. If I were a real estate agent, I would be one of the poorest of the lot because I could never enrich myself at the expense of another. I ask, "Where is the compassion?"

January 12, 2007

Dear Sir,

Opportunities come our way a few times in our lives. We must seize them for what they offer. We must learn as much as we can from each opportunity presented. The road for us as blacks is already difficult so we must ensure that we are focused, disciplined, hardworking, honest and above all true to ourselves.

When presented with challenges we must see them as opportunities. We must assess the challenge weigh up the consequences of the courses of action that we choose. We must look at ways and means of overcoming the challenge and then assess our outcome whether it is positive or negative.

We can no longer use the excuse that the white man is holding us back because we have and are holding ourselves back by thinking that way. I am not going to for one minute suggest that institutionalised racism does not exist since I know first hand that it does.

I am also going to tell you that the Bermuda Police Service is an organisation made of good and bad police officers (the vast majority of whom are good). They will often say or do things that cause us anger and become bitter and the subsequently react in ways that only bring damage to one's self. This makes situations worse than they need to be.

Here is my advice:

1. Seek God first, for if God be for you who can be against you.

2. Trusts in the Lord with all your heart don't try to figure it out for yourself, in everything you do acknowledge him and he will guide and direct you.

3. Be a leader not a follower.

4. Do positive things with your life, if you don't have your GED go and get it.

5. Don't allow yourself to become a statistic.

6. Don't allow yourself to be in and out of jail for things you have control over.

7. Stand up and make a difference in our island home by becoming a positive and productive citizen.

8. Lastly don't be ashamed to be black. Be proud of that but don't disrespect other races because we are all equal in God's eyes.

January 21, 20007

Dear Sir,

I confess that the dynamics of race relations, whether between the races or within the races is a source of unending intellectual interest to me.

I was intrigued by MP Maxwell Burgess' contention that the existing situation would never have occurred under the former leader Dr. Grant Gibbons. That comment had a certain irony since some of the political pundits declared that the UBP needed a black leader to attract the necessary number of blacks. Yet it is under a black leader that the UBP is experiencing this fall out of blacks! An outsider has to wonder who wanted to get rid of Dr. Gibbons.

Since they are Blacks who are expressing disillusion with the black leader it is possible that they were naive in expecting from him something that no black UBPer could give them. They wanted him to support their charge of racism . But it seems to me that a part of the obligation of black UBPers is never to charge the UBP with racism. Moreover they are ignoring the fact that a white Dr. Gibbons could rebuke any white "rednecks" within the Party (and be listened to) while a mild mannered black Wayne Furbert would not and could not (nor would it be likely that he would be listened to). It is true that the long time member and former Minister Jim Woolridge declared (like Gwyneth Rawlins) that there were whites who did not mind blacks being leaders providing that they could tell him what to do. Certainly Sir John Swan did not raise the issue as long as he was Premier. He was so hostile to raising the issue that he once told me that I was responsible for Bermuda's racial divide because I kept putting the issue out there. It was only after he left the role that he talked about not even being invited to tea by his former political colleagues.

But that is not remarkable when we remember that not even the two former PLP leaders were prepared to mention the issue of race. Certainly they were not about to charge the UBP with racism, so how could they expect mild mannered Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert to do so?

I find it intriguing that some are saying that Premier Dr. Ewart Brown is responsible for this fall out.in the UBP. We can all recall that Sir John Swan, because of his personality, attracted a number of young Blacks to the UBP. While Premier Brown is a very different personality he has his own charisma so it is conceivable that he might do for the PLP what Sir John Swan did for the UBP that is attract young blacks not because of race nor politics but because of personality.

Senator Bob Richards rejected the concept of a black sense of inferiority . But how else can he account for the UBP retaining power for 30 years in a predominantly black Community when from the outset the Parties where seen as racial despite the best efforts of the early PLP. Some folks choose to forget the efforts that the early PLP made to be integrated. They replaced long time black politician Russell Levi Pearman (and thereby alienating many of his supporters) with a newcomer, English Dorothy Thompson. Moreover, despite the Government sponsored segregation of the time they would not touch race or racism. All of their rhetoric was about Labour and Socialism because they did not want to offend White folks despite the overt racism and segregation. At that time all that most blacks, living in a segregated society, wanted was "integration" with whites. They voted for whites for 30 years. That is how long it took whites to convince blacks that they needed to vote on racial lines. But having turned them into race conscious voters they are not likely to turn them around now. It is no use blaming the political racial rhetoric of Dr. Brown. He is a new comer. It took White folks thirty years to accomplish that. They cannot win another election unless the PLP does something extremely stupid which is unlikely in the immediate future.

But no democracy can exist without a strong and viable Opposition that has at least a theoretical possibility of winning an election. It is not good for a country and it is not good for the black community to have an unelectable Opposition. Khalid Wasi may, or may not, have an answer. But one thing is certain the responsible members of the Opposition have a responsibility to do what is necessary to create a viable Opposition and their current rhetoric is not likely to do it. They have convinced too many Blacks that they must be race conscious voters.

EVA N. HODGSON

Crawl

January 12, 2007

Dear Sir,

This Government is leading us down the wrong path. A path from which there will never be a return.

The issuing of Special Development Orders which are being forced upon us is the beginning of widespread loss of our beautiful island home. This is just the beginning! What is to prevent the Government from issuing further SDOs for the development of other large estates throughout the island ? whether Government or privately owned?- for the benefit of wealthy foreigners who have no attachment to Bermuda and who only care about profit at any cost?

If the Southlands development is allowed it will result in the large-scale loss of a beautiful area abundant with trees and wildlife. And for whose benefit? Not the average Bermudian! This development is a forerunner of things to come. Next on the list could very well be "High Point", another beautiful property protected by zoning overlooking the south shore in Southampton. All it would take would be the Government enticing yet another billionaire developer. When will enough be enough?

The loss to concrete development of an island paradise as we know it today will impact on all of us.

Why did the Willowbank Foundation Trust purchase Southlands in the first place? Was it to create another 'Christian Retreat' similar to the Somerset property or did they intend for it to ultimately be a large hotel development? If the purpose was the former, I cannot envisage them wilfully destroying a large portion of this 37 acre estate. I could be wrong however. Will someone please provide me with an answer.

Unless things change for the better in our island home, I am afraid that the future will be very bleak for ALL OF US.

Wake up Bermuda! I implore you, do not be misled by false promises from the Government. Let your brain govern you thinking not your wallets. Our future depends on it.

GERALD L. YOUNG

P.s. Perhaps Khalid Al Wasi is right. Maybe it is now time for Bermudians of all colours to join together in earnest to form a new political party. We all have to learn to live together in peace for the sake of future generations. Think about it.

January 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

I feel strongly that the SDOs currently under view by our government are not in the best interest of the ordinary Bermudian family whom they claim to represent. The proposed development at Southlands is an environmental disaster. This despicable carnage of the Bermudian vernacular started with that demolition of charming old Bermudiana Hotel and continues today at the Trimingham Brothers site. While you are at it, please feel free to make a landfill of Hamilton Harbour. Maxed Out Re and Con Glom On Hotels, Inc., in all their post modern glory and infinite prescience, need a more convenient airport runway location in which to park their private jets! Foreign workers with housing allowances and nearly 100% subsidised dormitory accommodations benefit from an overheated economy, not the average Bermudian worker who struggles to meet his monthly commitments and struggles to find affordable housing.

Jumeirah Hotel Group and the like should be contractually bound to offer a percentage of proposed dormitory housing to young Bermudian hotel workers as a prerequisite for operating locally. These workers are indeed having a good week if they manage to take home $350 net and could certainly use a leg up. By the way, we are losing long term visitors to the island who tell me they are put off by all the traffic and with the loss of that distinctive Bermudian character they've grown to love over the years.

They are also appalled by the lack of unique shopping opportunities in downtown Hamilton for such distinctive British imports as cashmere sweaters, etc. Last time I checked Bermuda was still a British colony, so why the big focus on American labels up and down Front Street? Don't get me started on the spectre of those unfortunate working poor squatters at the abandoned Club Med St. George's resort....a Dateline NBC expose' in the making!

January 22, 2007

Dear Sir,

So GP1, the car belonging to the Premier, was photographed illegally parked in a handicapped spot. Well turn me upside down and paint me blue and allow me the extra time to wipe the drool off my face! Surprised anyone? I'm not. The driver was as arrogant as other drivers who park in handicapped spots without giving it a second thought! I do hope the Premier Ewart Brown has a good explanation as to what his car was doing parked in a handicap parking spot! Shame on you, Mr. Editor, for hiding the picture on the third page of today's paper! Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words!

The Corporation of Hamilton needs to do more to ensure that handicapped parking bays are used by those who have to fill out their useless forms every year!

I find that most drivers are very arrogant when they illegally park their cars in handicapped spots. The traffic wardens need to do more to ensure that these despicable individuals get ticketed when they do! For goodness sake stop and think about the person who is handicapped and desperately needs that spot! Only in Bermuda do people get away with such distasteful behaviour! And now we see that the car belonging to leader of our country is being just as arrogant! Do we have any hope!